5 amazingly scenic trips in Europe you need to know about

Road Trip |

By Europcar |

Old Europe offers some of the most beautiful drives in the world. From Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic to the Highlands lakes, Europcar explores the most scenic road trips of the continent. Follow the guide!

Get lost in the wild of the Highlands…

Wild heath, whisky distilleries rising from peaty earth, savage windswept peaks, vast beaches, stark isolated castles…when it comes to scenery, the Highlands of Scotland (actually just simply “The Highlands”) really do have it all. Pick up your car at any one of our 43 Europcar branches situated in all the major Scottish towns and you are all set for a fabulous road trip into ancient history.
Looking for rugged scenery? Head straight for the Northwest Highlands Geopark, home to dramatic skylines that include Paramount Pictures’ own chosen logo peak: Ben Stack.
Craving castles? Further south towards the Isle of Mull is Appin, one of the most desolate and photographed castles of the country, also featured in Monty Python’s The Holy Grail!
It may surprise you to hear that the Highlands boast nice beaches, too. These can be found all along the northwest coast, but a real gem is Sandwood Bay. Get out of your car and stretch your legs a bit with this 4-mile walk from Blairmore carpark.
As you get near, you crest a hill to bring into view a vast lake with golden sands complete with a reportedly haunted old cabin: a great day out for all the family!
One little tip, bring a selection of great maps as well as a GPS, as road signs can be non-existent and civilisation days away…which is what it’s all about, really, isn’t it? Oh, and unless you have a snowplough, don’t go in winter!

Snub France for a road trip in hot and spicy Corsica!

If you are looking for a road trip that is more about covering vast landscapes than traffic-jamming from one town to the next, then Corsica is your answer.
This island is encircled by the main motorways, linking south-western Ajaccio with northern Bastia back round to the south tip of Bonifacio. This leaves a gaping hole of wilderness fairly devoid of main towns in the middle devoted to the dramatic Parc Naturel Regional de Corse.
To really explore what the island has to offer beyond its cities, hiring a car is essential, and couldn’t be easier. Simply pick your Europcar rental up at the airport and turn inland, you will soon be surrounded by mountainous scenery hiding charming perched villages, old crumbling fortresses, and beautiful hiking routes.
If breath taking scenery is your thing, head for the Aiguilles de Bavella (the Bavella needles – a heart-stopping skyline of peaks and crags). The needles, great for hikes or simply taking fantastic photos, lie a beautiful 2-hour drive from Ajaccio airport, with some pretty villages on the way to stop for some tasty brocciu cheese or traditional Corsican pork.
Corsica is truly a hot and spicy Mediterranean island worthy of a real road trip to discover all its delights.

Drive the Alpine road at least once in your life – the road trip of a lifetime!

When it comes to heart-stopping scenery, great food, and greater locals, you can’t beat Bavaria. Snaking through this region like a red carpet laid out for your visit is the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, or the Alpine Road, which extends 450km from Berchtesgaden, south-east of Munich.
It also crosses the south of the Bavarian region to Lindau on the vast and beautiful Lake Constance. Whether you do all or just part of it, this is truly a dense concentration of all the fairy tale scenery you could wish for in Germany.
A great start is to pick up the car in Munich just off the plane and head straight down the A96 for just under 2 hours to Fussen, where you can walk up to the fabulously Disney-like castle set against a patchwork of quintessential Bavarian farmland.
Then take the Alpine Road east, stopping off at the not-to-be-missed Ettal Abbey, making sure you get in some of that famed Bavarian hospitality and even more famed beer at a friendly farmhouse.
Further along are natural wonders like the deep Partnacht Gorge, peaceful Walchensee Alpine lake, and out-of-this-world ice caves at Werfen – this road trip has everything!

Rub shoulders with the rich and famous at Italy’s Lake Como!

Driving to Lake Como may seem like a long trip, but it really is worth it to be able to have a car there so you can explore this fabulous region of lakes, each of which has its own special charm.
If you fly to Milan’s Malpensa airport then it couldn’t be easier, too. Simply pick up your Europcar rental at the airport itself and drive one hour to Como town, where the south west branch of Lake Como begins.
Here you can find a place to stay without worrying about dropping a George Clooney-style budget, and the ferry trips out to neighbouring gems like Villa del Balbianello show off this forested, gorgeous Italian countryside to its best.
From there, it’s a short picturesque drive up the south side of the lake to Bellagio where the luxury truly starts, with fabulous shopping and lush pink-fronted cafés.
The road around the entire lake constantly delights with little villages and perched churches. But don’t forget that the beauty of a car rental means you can easily check out other nearby lakes too, such as the fabulous Lake Maggiore with its luxury-villa strewn islands or the lesser-known Lake Orta with its fabulous views of the lakes and Italian alps.

Opt for authenticity with the Wild Atlantic Way road trip in Ireland!

While Dublin is a must-see destination for all, it’s really when you get further into the west of Ireland that you become infused with that peaceful, serene Irish charm and can see, smell, and taste authentic Ireland, leaving the multicultural crowds behind you.
With the ease of a Europcar rental pick up from the airport , make a bee line for the Wild Atlantic Way, which unfurls from southwest Cork all the way up the west coast to bring you to Banba’s Crown, the northern-most point of Ireland.
This road trip is all about guiding you gently through the most dramatic and breath taking of Ireland’s scenery, from the haunted elegance of Ross Castle to the craggy Kilarney coast. It also offers a plethora of boat trips off to desolate nature-thronged islands like the puffin-populated Skellig Islands or the mournful Blasket Islands.
Interspersed with buzzing cities like Cork and Galway, this road trip truly has it all. Best of all, in contrast to some of inland Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way is all well-sign posted, although even getting lost in this land is a treat, as it gives you chance to chat to the ever generous and kind locals.
Fáilte Ireland!